The Christmas Eve Cinderella and the Lycan King

Pov Bridge What was supposed to be the happiest day of my life had turned into my own personal hell. And the universe had to make it even crueler by choosing Christmas Eve to stage my public humiliation. A couple of months ago, I discovered that my boyfriend, Liam, with whom I planned to spend the rest of my life, was my destined mate. But all that happiness vanished when Liam decided to reject me to commit to Nathalia, the daughter of the werewolf king, and the only one who could offer him the title of alpha leader. The choir's Christmas music only served to fuel the pain in my chest, a pain I was dangerously accustomed to. “Bridge!” My boss's voice boomed like thunder from downstairs. I ran down the stairs with my heart racing. There he was, imposing, looking at me with his usual tormented fury. “This ballroom needs to be spotless. You'd better make the floor shine before you put on your service uniform, and don't even think about wearing a ball gown. Or do you want everyone to know that the future alpha has rejected you for a more beautiful and powerful woman?” My boss's voice was harsh. “I don't care what other people think. I'm only here because I have no other choice,” I said with a neutral expression. “Then go serve the damn drinks and stop being so useless,” he added, as direct as the blow that once made me see white sparks. The reality was that my humiliation did not end with the rejection. That bastard Liam got rid of me, degrading me like an Omega who had to wait tables at his engagement party. He expected me to break down, but he didn't know my story. I was the daughter of Gamma Riley, the only Gamma of royal blood who had been sent to the dungeon and then demoted to Omega, prohibiting both my sister and me from becoming Gammas in my former pack. Faced with this misfortune, my parents decided to come to this pack and hide me for years, as I was supposed to possess an ancestral power that was destined to fulfill a prophecy if I obtained the title of Gamma. However, as the years passed, I had not managed to become a Gamma, which made me doubt the veracity of the prophecy. In the end, I ended up being a foolish Omega with a traitorous father. At first, I believed that all my luck would change. After all, the Moon Goddess had granted me my mate. But, evidently, the Moon Goddess played with my feelings again. The music of Christmas carols filled the air, sweet and cloying. Christmas was supposed to be a time of miracles, but for me, the fool with the curse, it was just a reminder of my own tragedy. From my position at the bar, with a glass tray in my hands, I had a perfect view Liam, the man with whom I had shared six years of secrets and promises, was laughing under the mistletoe as he jokingly put a Santa hat on Nathalia, King James's perfect daughter, the one who could give him the Alpha status I could never give him I hid behind a column, but Nathalia saw me. “Well, if it isn't the traitor's little daughter! Liam, darling, isn't it sad? We should leave her a nice tip.” Nathalia's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. She hung on Liam's arm, looking at me with feigned pity. Liam looked at me. There was no love in his eyes, only a calculating coldness. "Bridge, you'd better go finish the banquet and then serve the drinks and stop embarrassing me with your presence" I swallowed my tears and ran to the kitchen. There, the aroma of roast meat and Christmas spices turned my stomach. Such indifference. Liam knew who I really was, he knew my scars and my dreams, but he chose power. As I moved through the crowd, dodging silk dresses and expensive suits, my mind wandered back to the hours before. I hadn't prepared for the party by putting on makeup or choosing a dress. I had spent the afternoon in the kitchen preparing the banquet and in the living room cleaning everything for the magical night of my ex-fiancé and his new wife. I served drinks until I ended up next to the bar stool. It was all complete nonsense! I was a pretty girl with a great body and a promising future; I didn't deserve this humiliation! I took a drink from an abandoned tray and downed it in one gulp. It smelled like Christmas punch, but the alcohol was so strong it burned my throat. I needed to drown myself, to forget that Liam was there, kissing someone else while I served canapés. The alcohol, mixed with an empty stomach and emotional exhaustion, hit me fast. The room began to spin. The Christmas tree lights blurred into golden spots. “I need air...” I whispered to myself. I headed for the terrace exit, but my treacherous legs tangled with the carpet. I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact with the floor, waiting for the final humiliation and the look of contempt from Liam and his fiancée. But the blow never came. Instead, I crashed into a solid, warm wall. A pair of large, firm hands grabbed my arms, stabilizing me with controlled, almost delicate strength. A scent hit me: fresh pine, snow, and an expensive, dominant cologne that made my inner wolf, which had been cowering in pain, raise its head with a start. I opened my eyes slowly. “You... you saved me,” I stammered, completely absorbed in the alcohol. “Careful,” said a deep voice, echoing over the noise of the party. I looked up, tilting my head back far. The man was immense, radiating an authority that made the air around him feel heavier. He had dark hair and gray eyes that reminded me of a stormy sea. But there was no mockery in them, no cheap lust. There was curiosity. And something else... Recognition? I could have sworn he was the most handsome man in the room. His dimples were visible as he slowly ran his tongue over his lower lip. “You seem to need help,” he said. His voice was deep, a vibration I felt in my chest before he lifted me into his arms as if I were a rag doll. People surrounded us as soon as he noticed. Invisibility was my superpower and my curse. “Do you think so?” I began to say, sounding like a dazed woman. “Perhaps if I take you to a more comfortable place, you'll be safe,” he suggested with a soft smile. I wanted to trust him, but mistrust was engraved in my soul like a Christmas story. “Somewhere more comfortable?” I asked in a whisper. “A suite where no one can bother you,” he suggested as he tucked my hair behind my ear with his thumb. Then the man looked at the waiter and asked him to bring a bottle to the master suite. I wrapped one arm around his neck and watched him as he guided me to the elevator. His arms were so warm that my wolf, who had been curled up and trembling with fear and pain, began to purr. I was fascinated by this man who exuded a dangerous and dominant aura. However, as soon as we reached the room, he put me down and pointed to the bed. “Sleep. It will help you recover,” he ordered. For a moment, I wanted to refuse, but as I took a step toward the bed, I heard a crack and the sound of fabric tearing. The zipper on my old, worn dress gave way under the strain of my movement and his grip. The fabric split open at the back, letting the cold air of the suite caress my skin. “s**t! I... I'm so sorry...” I cried out, quickly crossing my arms to cover my chest and crotch. Panic and embarrassment made my drunkenness disappear in an instant. I looked up and met his eyes, which now burned with a different fire. He was scanning my half-naked body with a possessive gaze.